How do I request visits/prayers when someone is ill?
Hospitals no longer notify clergy of their congregants’ admission as patients, due to privacy laws, so we are completely dependent upon you to call us and let us know the names of loved ones who are ill or having surgery.

We want to remember them in our prayers and our clergy would like to call or visit them. We regularly visit all of the local hospitals as well as visit the infirmed in their homes. Bikkur Cholim – visiting the sick – is a mitzvah (a commandment and righteous act) in our tradition, and we take these visits very seriously.

Each Shabbat morning and each time we take out the Torah during weekday services, we offer a MiSheberach (“may the One who blessed”) prayer for those who are sick. The prayers ask God to watch over them and grant them health of body, spirit and mind, together with all others who are ill. We also maintain a list of people for whom we pray regularly.

When we offer prayers for the sick, we usually mention the individual’s Hebrew name together with his/her mother’s name. For example, if one’s Hebrew name is Yitzhak and his mother’s Hebrew name is Sarah, we would offer the prayer on behalf of Yitzhak ben (“son of”) Sarah. If you do not know the Hebrew name, we can also mention the English name in our prayers.

To add a name(s) to the list, please submit in Hebrew or English by contacting Assistant Cantor Leonard Gutman at lgutman@shaareyzedek.org.

How do I plan my child’s bar/bat mitzvah?
A child’s bar or bat mitzvah is one of the most memorable days in his or her life – and your family’s. Participating in Shabbat services from the front pews of the sanctuary while the congregation welcomes your child to Jewish adulthood is a momentous occasion. At Shaarey Zedek, we are pleased to set the date of your child’s bar mitzvah or bat mitzvah six months after your child’s seventh birthday.

Our b’nai mitzvah students begin to study with a tutor 10 – 12 months prior to their simcha. All our b’nai mitzvah must perform 13 hours of community service, which they may select from these three categories.

Tzedakah – Acts of Righteousness:
Donations made by your child to a charity of his or her choice.

Avodah – Service to the Synagogue:
Your child may volunteer to work in various areas of the synagogue such as the summer camp, the mail room, the school office, the library, by babysitting during Shabbat services and so on.

Gemilut Chasadim – Acts of Loving Kindness:
This service of performing good deeds to benefit the community at large includes volunteering at a JARC home, a food pantry, a nursing home, Yad Ezra, or another venue in the community.

Baruch Dayan Emet – “Blessed is the True Judge” – are the traditional words recited upon hearing the news of someone’s passing. This difficult time is one with many logistical considerations – planning a funeral, meeting with the rabbi, contacting friends and relatives. Please let your rabbis know how we can be of support.

The rabbi will meet with you and your family to begin the process of memory by reflecting on the life of your loved one. In addition, the rabbi will answer your questions pertaining to the Jewish laws and customs of mourning.

The three area funeral homes all work closely with us to plan a service that provides comfort and support to family and friends. You may contact the funeral home of your choice before or after you contact our clergy.

You might also reference this book: The Jewish Dietary Laws: Their Meaning for Our Time, by Samuel H. Dresner, and A Guide to Observance, by Seymour Siegel (Burning Bush Press, 1959). Brief introductions to themes and practices from a Conservative viewpoint. Two works in one small booklet.

For additional information, visit the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism by clicking here.

In the Jewish tradition, the proper greeting for such news is “b’sha’ah tovah” – a prayer that a healthy child be born at the proper time.

Please contact one of our rabbis to help with the selection of a Hebrew name, for help and information in planning a baby naming or brit milah, and to determine if a pidyon ha-ben (redemption of the first-born) ceremony is necessary.

Jewish tradition requires that a baby boy be circumcised on the eighth day of life, provided that there are no health concerns. Please contact a mohel, who is specially trained to perform this mitzvah. Our offices have the contact information for some of our local mohalim. You are invited to celebrate your son’s brit milah in one of our many beautiful synagogue spaces.

To reserve a synagogue room, please contact Shelley Golsky. In addition, our rabbis can help you celebrate this milestone by co-officiating with the mohel and offering words of blessing.

In recent years, Jewish tradition has embraced several innovative naming ceremonies to officially welcome a baby girl into the Jewish People. These include a baby naming, where the infant and her parents are called to the Torah during a Shabbat morning service, and a separate simchat bat ceremony which can be officiated by a rabbi.

Please contact one of our rabbis for help in planning a ceremony.

To schedule a baby naming at the Torah during Shabbat services, please contact our Assistant Cantor, Leonard Gutman at lgutman@shaareyzedek.org.

To provide Jewish experiences and learning for children grades K-7, we run a Religious School that meets twice per week. Post Bar/Bat Mitzvah learning continues at ATID, our Community High School for grades 8-12.

Whether you’re looking to volunteer just once or on a regular basis, Congregation Shaarey Zedek is a place where you can truly make a difference. There are a variety of volunteer opportunities from which to choose: